Tantalizing Love
by Trashmonster
Summary: Just when soul is finally summing up the courage to confess his feelings for Maka, Wes moves in and sweeps her off her feet. How can soul ever compete with his ever talented brother? SoulXmaka.
1. Unwanted Guest

Tantalizing Love

Chapter 1:

~Unwanted Guest~

* * *

"So uncool."

I took in my reflection with unease, trying to shake the utterly ridiculous sense I felt at rehearsing my lines in front of a mirror. It's just that it's so— stereotypical…

"Maka… you may have tiny tits and anger issues but your pretty cool."

I grimaced.

"I'd definitely get Maka chopped for that one."

I turned away from the mirror, letting out an exasperated sigh. How was I ever going to tell Maka that I liked her without sounding like some cheezy romance novel? Or worse, a complete dick. So uncool... I glanced at myself in the mirror again, before turning away in disgust." Great, now I'm acting like a conceited school girl." I focused my attention on the wall instead, realizing that asking Maka out was a nearly impossible task. I'm either going to get Maka chopped because she thinks I'm screwing with her or she's gonna blow me off. I grinned at the thought. Of course she can do hell of a lot better than a guy like me eh?

I grabbed for the door handle and let myself out into the hall. I was fed up with the whole ordeal and ready to give up. Why would she have any interest in me? She's told me numerous times that she doesn't like jazz and I piss her off pretty frequently. I sighed again and made my way toward the kitchen. She's probably wondering what's taking me so long.

Entering the kitchen, I noticed Maka standing in front of the toaster, looks like we're having toast again. Oh well.

I plopped myself down at the kitchen table and began boring holes into Maka's back, waiting for her to notice my presence. Of course, she probably sensed me coming as soon as I opened the bathroom door, but that's what made her lack of a greeting all the more unusual.

"Something bothering you?" I asked nonchalantly as I propped my head up with my arm. She jumped slightly at the question before turning her head to look at me. "Oh, good morning Soul. I'm making breakfast, what would you like?" A bagel sprang up from the toaster, drawing her attention back to her cooking. That is if you can call it 'cooking.' Ignoring the fact that she avoided my question, I leaned back in my chair thinking of all the possible answers I could give her. "You." Damn, this is what happens when you rehearse shitty pick up lines in the bathroom.

Maka went rigid, turning ever slowly to face me. I frantically scrambled for the right words to fix the situation but they just wouldn't come. "Eh, just kidding. Pancakes are good." Wide eyed, I braced myself for the inevitable. "Maaaaaaaaakaaaaaaaaaaa—CHOP!"

With a speed that would put superman to shame, she planted the spine of a thick bound book on my head and pain exploded through my mind. Just as she was about to go for a second deadly blow, a knock sounded at the front door, putting a stop to her merciless beat down.

Maka huffed as she set her book down on the table. "You should worship whoever is behind that door because they just saved you a trip to the hospital." She took a deep breath before calmly making her way to the front door. Painfully, I sat up and nursed my battered head. "You're going to give me a concussion one of these days." I winced as I gently applied pressure to the tender area on my head. "Maybe if I hit you enough times it'll fix the faulty wiring in your brain." Maka said angrily as she pulled the front door open.

I finally managed to get up from the table and make my way over to the front door. It looked as though Maka was already talking to whoever was at the door, so I stopped and stood in the living room, feeling a little light headed. It was unusual to have visitors in the morning and no one had made plans to stop by. Maka looked back at me with a confused expression as she stepped aside to let the visitor in. "Soul, you never told me you had a brother..." A tall lean figure stepped in. He wore a loosely buttoned white dress shirt along with a pair of black dress pants and dress shoes. He looked as though he came straight from a performance, I wouldn't be surprised.

"Soul, it's nice to see you. It's been far too long since our paths crossed." Wes graciously greeted, smiling slightly. "I suppose. What brings you here?" I asked slightly confused by his sudden appearance. It's not like Wes to suddenly drop in, especially since we haven't spoken since I left the Evan's estate. I glanced over at Maka in hopes of possibly getting an explanation, but her face showed that she was just as confused.

"Is there some unspoken law that states I'm not allowed to visit my younger brother?" Wes asked smiling gently. He then pointed at Maka with a look of disproval "By the way, who's this? Don't tell me you're having intimate relations already. It's distasteful, especially at such a young age..." I think my head literally exploded. "WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT! M-MAKA!" Maka jumped in, her face glowing in embarrassment, " N-nothing like that! We're partners at Shibusen! I'm Soul's Meister, Maka Albarn." "Ah, I see." Wes said with a thoughtful look. "Well that's a relief; I won't have to deal with any awkward situations throughout my stay this week." My ears must have been failing me, just like I was imagining Wes Standing in the living room. "What was that?" I asked in utter dismay. "Didn't I mention I was spending the week here with you? I'm trying to lay low for a bit and I figured what better way than to come and visit you." Wes smiled to himself.

"Thanks for the forewarning but I don't recall agreeing to this arrangement" I said slightly annoyed. Who the hell did he think he was coming in here and expecting me to just let him stay.

"Soul! We can't just kick him out, he's your brother! Besides maybe having a role model around can fix your poor attitude." Maka gave me a warning look before turning back to Wes and smiling. "Let me show you around a bit."

Oh yeah, of course, how could I have forgotten. He's Wes, the talented brother in which I could never be compared to. The role model I can never aspire to be.

I kicked at the carpet in frustration. Why would Wes just come over out of the blue? How the hell did he even find me? I had a million questions swarming through my head, causing my mood to worsen by the second.

I fell back onto the couch and leaned my head against the back of the chair. I could hear Maka cheerfully showing Wes to his room, where was he staying at anyway?

"It's ok, Soul can sleep on the couch for a week. He'll be fine." I did a double take, the hell I'll be fine! I leaned over the back of the couch to yell down the hall. "Oi Maka! I don't appreciate you renting out my room without asking first. As far as I'm concerned, he's your guest so why don't you let him stay in your bedroom for the week." I glared at her, trying to prove my point. "Fine, I'll sleep on the couch since you're crying about it." I smirked back at her, "fine by me." I loved the way she gawked at me as I turned around to sit comfortably into the sofa. "It's really ok Maka-chan, I don't mind taking the couch. It'll be an interesting new experience," Wes said graciously. Flustered, Maka turned back to Wes to try and argue the situation but Wes would hear nothing of it. He set his belongings in the corner of the living room before turning around and plopping himself down next to me. I shifted to the far end of the sofa, examining the blank television and willing it to magically pop on and create a distraction. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with telepathic abilities as a child.

I relished in the uncomfortable silence as Maka and Wes stared at me, waiting for some kind of response, though I'm not sure what they expected me to do. So I did the one thing I did best, offend and retreat. "As much as I enjoy being the center of attention for everyone here, I have better things to do then sit around and be stared at." As I stood, I saw Maka reaching for her book and Wes simply staring in wonder. I ran full speed to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me and leaning heavily against it. It wasn't long before I heard the second slam of the book hitting the door.

Since when did she start chucking her book at people? She's getting more dangerous with every stupid remark I make. A bead of sweat began forming on my brow as I considered the thought. I looked around my room for something to do but nothing seemed to stand out. I didn't feel like listening to Jazz or any music for that matter since Wes was here. Really, that's all there was to do in my bedroom besides read a few boring books that Maka gave me. "So much for having better things to do." I flopped backwards onto my bed," maybe if I go to sleep I'll wake up from this nightmare." I closed my eyes for maybe ten minutes before, a light knock sounded at my door. "Unless you're Maka, I would suggest going away," I said coldly, glaring at the door. Maka stepped in, quietly shutting the door behind her. I was surprised by the sullen expression on her face as she sat down at the foot of my bed. "You know, your brother really does care about you." Maka said as she fiddled with corner of my comforter.

I shrugged "He sure showed it through the years of disconnection." Maka sighed as she turned towards me, "he wanted to get in touch with you for a long time but he didn't know how. He really is a nice guy." I looked up at Maka and was taken aback by the light blush that adorned her cheeks. I tried to play down the situation a bit but the plan seemed to back fire. "pfft. With the way you talk about him I would say you're attracted to him." I laughed lightly. Please deny it and erase this unease at the back of my mind. Maka's silence was agonizing. I looked at her once more to see her that her blush had deepened and she was staring at the floor. "Oh.. You do like him." I frowned as she stood from my bed. "Well, I'm going to bed now Soul. Try to get along with Wes tomorrow would you? We're supposed to give him a tour of Shibusen and I would really like it if you would at least try to reconnect with him." She smiled gently at me as she took her leave. If only she could begin to understand how much that look tormented my Soul. How could she have fallen for Wes after knowing him for maybe a half hour when she has known me for years? As I said before, I can't think of anything Wes can't beat me at, but I'm not gonna let him have Maka without a fight.

* * *

I don't own soul Eater. Sadness. ;_;


	2. Premonition

Tantalizing love

Chapter 2:

~premonition~

***IMPORTANT NOTE*** I have revised CH.1 and extended the end of it quite significantly. I would recommend going back and re-reading it. Sorry for the delay and confusion. :(

* * *

I was falling…

We we're falling…

Maka and I…

I could tell we were being swallowed up by the black blood and I grasped tightly to Maka's hand. "I'm not going to lose you!" I stared into Maka's eyes and she smiled gently at me. "but I want to be lost, that way someone can find me."

I was drowning. I couldn't breathe.

I fought to keep a firm hold on Maka's hand but I could already feel her hand slowly slipping from my grasp. "Maka, hold on to my hand. Your slipping—"

"It's ok to let go Soul. Someone else will help me. Someone like Wes."

I chocked, out of breath. If I were like Wes, I would be able to keep my hold on Maka. As absurd as it sounds, it's true. I have yet to find something that Wes can't beat me at. He was always able to get what he wanted with what seemed like little to no effort. Why the hell was he blessed with all the family's attributes and I cursed with the recessive, once in a million years weapon gene. Ah right, I wouldn't have met Maka if that were the case. I guess it's a blessing in its own way but that doesn't change the fact that Wes has it all.

I stared longingly at Maka, now only having a few fingers in my grasp. Maka said it herself, she wants me to let go because she's clearly unhappy being with me. "Your happiness… is my happiness Maka." I relinquished my hold on her delicate fingers and we we're immediately separated, I could only watch in anguish as her petite form disappeared into the dark abyss of black blood. How could I have given up so easily on the one thing— the one person I cherished more than anything else in existence?

"Makaaaaaaaa!" I yelled as I jolted upright in my bed. A series of pounding footsteps and slamming doors told me she and Wes were heading straight for my room.

"Screaming in my sleep. So uncool."

I've been acting uncool quite freguently. I must be turning into a loser. Damn. I wiped my hand down my face as I tried desperately to collect my thoughts.

In a matter of seconds, Maka flung open the door, causing it to slam into the doorstop and rattle the possessions sitting on my dresser.

"Soul! Are you ok?" Maka asked, looking around my room frantically before settling her eyes on me. "Yeah, I'm fine." I replied cooly giving her a reassuring smirk. I hate making Maka worry.

"And here I thought you grew out of calling for people when you have nightmares. Need me to check for boogey monsters under the bed like old time's Soul?" Wes smirked at his joke as he leaned on the door jam.

"Shut up. The only thing I'd like for you to do is disappear." I said irritated.

Wes shrugged as he turned and headed back to the sofa. "I was only kidding, I thought maybe you had developed a sense of humor over the years."

I glared at the spot where Wes once stood before realizing that Maka had placed her hand to my forehead. "Are you sure you're ok Soul? You yelled as if I was dying or something." Maka stared at me, obviously waiting for some sort of explanation. You might as well have died Maka, I let you go and you were lost to the black blood. Oh how I would have loved to vent my bottled up fears.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I dreamed that you trashed my records because I said no one would want to date you cause you're flatter than rice paper." I grimaced inwardly. That was pretty harsh.

Maka glared at me and reached her hand towards my record collection. "I can make your dreams come true if you don't keep your perverted and insensitive comments to yourself!"

I panicked.

"Maka no! I'm sorry, please don't break them!"

Maka smiled. "You're forgiven! You should try apologizing more often."

I breathed a sigh of relief as she made her way towards the door. "Seriously,,. if something is bothering you, come and talk to me ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Good night."

"Night."

I watched as she smiled gently and pulled my bedroom door shut. I couldn't help but get goosebumps. It was the same smile she gave me in my dream. I rubbed my eyes a bit out of tiredness.

"What the—was I crying?" How pitiful, maka's threat to crush my record collection actually brought me to slight tears. At least I think that's what they're from… They couldn't have been from my nightmare right? Maka would have said something… right? Damn, it's going to be a long night. That dream couldn't have had any significance. After all, Maka would never say something like that.

* * *

Sorry this chapter is so short. The next one will be nice and long, I promise!

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater. Sadness ;_;


	3. Rude Awakening

Tantalizing love

Chapter 3:

~Rude Awakening~

* * *

Morning came too soon. Light filtered in through my bedroom curtains causing me to burrow deeper into my comforter and pillows. Maybe if I blocked out the light, I could continue to pretend it was 3AM. Unfortunately, sleeping in is impossible when Maka is demanding my presence.

For the second time in less than 4 hours, Maka flung open my bedroom door and stepped in. "Soul, time to get up! We're supposed to give Wes a tour of Shibusen today."

Cringing, I lazily pulled my comforter over my head and rolled away from the sound of her voice. I groaned, hoping maybe she would get the message and leave me alone. "Soul I'm serious!" Maka said warily.

I wasn't fazed. No way in hell am I going to give him a tour with only a few hours of sleep. Then again, Maka can be pretty persistent. I listened as Maka's footsteps continued further into my room and stopped beside my bed. The next thing I knew, I was blinded by light as I tumbled to the floor in a heap of blankets and pillows. What the hell. I squinted against the glare of light coming from the window and looked up at my bed. There stood Maka, holding up my mattress with an innocent smile on her face. Great, she dumped me out of bed…

"Good morning sleepy head!" Maka said gleefully as she set my mattress back on the bed frame. I sat up exhaustedly and gave her the best glare I could muster after being woken up so abruptly. She laughed.

"You look so disheveled!" She said trying to stifle her laughs. "What did you expect? You dumped me out of my bed." I grumbled. looking around, I took in the mess of blankets and pillows littering my floor. Aside from the few crumpled papers that missed the bin, my room was usually quite clean. However, with the contents of my bed now on the floor, I loathed the thought of having to pick everything up later.

Maka flopped onto my bed on her belly, "so are you going to come out now? I made some toast, maybe that'll help you wake up?"

I stared at her tiredly, weighing the benefits of going back to sleep with the consequences. "Sorry Maka, it's gonna take more than just toast to get me out of bed this early." I then happily flopped backwards into my cushy pillows and attempted to sleep once again. The sound of Maka's flustered voice brought a sense of peace to my soul. Almost comforting, like everything in the house was as it should be and Wes was gone.

"What's it gonna take hmm?" Maka asked taking a deep breath. Her patients must be wearing thin if she's already doing breathing exercises. I grinned.

"Orange juice."

"Orange juice?"

"yes, orange juice… We're out of it, so you'll have go get some from the store… I'll wait here."

"… "

I cracked open an eye, curious as to how Maka was taking the news. She was seething. She ripped off my blankets and I scrambled to cover my boxer clad form with a pillow. "H-hey!" I shouted as her rampage continued. She towered over me, glaring and holding her ultimate dictionary in a threatening manner. "You can have milk." She grumbled out. I looked up at her from my position on the floor. "Damn, your chest looks flat even from this angle on the floor. There's literally nothing there."

What was that old saying? Old habits die hard? I guess habits and I are like two peas in a pod cause I'm still wondering how I'm still alive.

I was Maka chopped on the spot and drug into the kitchen in my underwear. Wes probably enjoyed every second of it.

Finally seated in the kitchen, I sipped on a glass of milk and munched on some toast. I half heartedly listened to the light conversation Wes and Maka were having simply because she was inquiring about his music. Funny, she never asks me about the music I play or listen to.

"Ahh, so you must practice quite often huh?" Maka asked as she took another bite of toast.

"Yeah, but after going through a piece a few times—"

Ugh, listening to him talk was unnerving and boring. I could be catching up on my sleep right now. I looked out the window, it was a pretty dreary morning with puffy grey clouds swirling overhead. Looks like we're gonna get rain. Now that I think about it, we rarely get rain here in Shibusen, considering we're in the middle of a desert.

~Flashback~

"Do we have anymore pasta for spaghetti Soul?" Maka asked holding a package of pasta in her hand. "Uh. I think I used the last box last week." "Ok, here's a new box then." She dropped the box in the basket I held and continued looking up and down the various aisles.

"I think we have everything." Maka said as she glanced at the shopping list she had on hand. "alright, let's get out of here then, I feel like I've been holding this basket forever." I swung the basket into my free hand, giving my hand a much needed break. I looked at my watch curious as to how much time we had spent in the store. Maka can be pretty indecisive when it comes to comparing products. "Huh, we spent an hour and a half in here." I looked up at Maka who had stopped to read a few headlines on some magazines. "It's not like you have anything better to do. I just want to make sure we get stuff we'll like." She smiled and turned toward me, rocking back on her heels. " Ready to go?" I smirked back at her. "Yeah."

It didn't take long at the check out counter and before we knew it, we were on our way home, carrying groceries.

"So soul, it's your turn to cook tonight. What are you going to make?"

"Eh, I dunno. I guess some soup."

"Soup? Why Soup?" Maka asked with a small smile lighting her face.

"It looks like it'll rain soon, if it does then it'll probably get a little cold tonight." I shrugged, watching her body language carefully. I always carefully inspected her reactions when I made suggestions. If she seems like she isn't in the mood for something I intend to cook then usually I would just make something else.

"Oh, good idea," Maka said smiling up at me. I grinned back, it's really hard not to return her smiles.

As we continued walking down the winding cobblestone side walk, Maka stopped suddenly, holding out a hand and tilting her head toward the sky. A few drops of rain landed on my forehead as I turned my head upwards as well. The sky had darkened significantly since we left the store. "We better hurry or we'll get soaked." Maka said as she picked up the pace a bit. However it was in vain, for it seemed like the droplets increased with our pace. Before we knew it, we were running for shelter as rain pelted down and thunder roared overhead.

Maka Sighed in disappointment. "Who knows how long we'll have to wait for this to let up." She looked up at the dark clouds from the small overhang we found in front of a closed fruit stand. God I hate it when she's disappointed. I handed her the bags I was carrying and she accepted them with a look of confusion.

"If you think I'm going to hold all the bags while we wait, then you're horribly mistaken." Maka said giving me a disapproving look. I rolled my eyes as I took off my jacket. "Nah, you just have to carry them home. I'll keep you and the groceries dry."

Maka gaped at me.

"but you'll get wet."

"No big deal."

"but you might catch a cold!"

"Pfft. I'm not that weak."

"Weakness has nothing to do with it."

"Whatever, let's just go ok?"

With one last disapproving look, Maka began walking forward. I held my jacket over her and the groceries as we made a run for home. Ironically, I did catch a cold that night and Maka never let me hear the end of it.

~End Flashback~

I was disrupted from my thoughts by the sound of shattering porcelain and a frantic Maka.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine Maka-chan, it was an accident." Wes said sounding humored.

Maka looked at me with wide eyes and a flushed face while Wes was busy wiping what looked like spilled tea from his shirt.

"What just happened?" I said eyeing the broken cup on the floor.

"Maka accidentally dropped the cup of tea she was handing me. I'll go change real quick." As Wes excused himself from the room, I looked back over to Maka who was now stooping over to pick up pieces of broken porcelain. I sighed as I stood and knelt down to help her.

"Normally you just pour tea for people. What made you decide to try and hand it to him?" I asked feeling a little sorry for her.

Maka flushed more. "Shut up Soul, I really don't need this today."

I blinked. Need what? It's not like I'm trying to give her a hard time. Frowning, I walked over to the counter to grab some paper towels.

Wes came back wearing a red T-shirt, sporting a logo advertising some company he toured with. Maka stood as he entered the kitchen again. My frown deepened as I continued cleaning the mess on the floor.

"I'm really sorry Wes. I didn't mean to—"

Wes laughed lightly. "I already told you it was fine Maka-chan."

"Surely it burned you though, at least let me have a look." Maka said obviously still feeling guilty.

Wes ran a hand through his hair. "I promise I'm fine Maka, no need to worry." He then smiled and placed his hand on her head. "It's too cute that you worry so much."

Maka blushed.

I could feel jealousy's sweet venom running through my veins. How the hell does he make it look so easy to tell her that she's cute when she's worried? I glared at Wes as I finished mopping up the tea.

"Cu-cu-cute?" Maka stammered, her face nearly as red as Wes' shirt.

"Certainly, I'm sure you hear such statements from Soul all the time though." He laughed.

Maka gently shook her head and I stared hard at the floor as I made my way to the garbage to throw away the tea soaked paper towels.

"So how about that tour of Shibusen?" I said trying to change the subject.

Wes glanced out the window. "Seems we'll have to save it for another day. It's raining."

I looked out the window myself. "oh… it is." The rain was coming down hard, making an escape from the awkward conversation at hand impossible.

"How about a movie?" Wes proposed turning toward the living room.

I guess Wes picked up on my mood, he's always been pretty perceptive.

"Sure." I said, turning my attention back to Maka. She still had that stupid look on her face and hadn't moved from where she stood in the kitchen. It bothered the hell out of me.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater.


	4. War

Tantalizing Love

Chapter 4:

~War~

* * *

I yawned for the umpteenth time that evening, trying my best to show my disinterest in the movie that Maka picked. You see, I figured she might kick me out of the room because I was being rude, thus granting me freedom from Wes' company. On the other hand, I soon found that my efforts were in vane because her attention wasn't concentrated on the movie or myself for that matter.  
It was on Wes.

Pathetic as it may be, I've been trying to get here attention for hours. Not blatantly of course, but I have a feeling that even if that were the case, she still wouldn't notice because Wes' damn head is blocking her view. Annoyed, I turned my attention back to the movie.

"Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you... I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank and circumstance. All these things I am willing to put aside and ask you to end my agony."

"I don't understand. "

"I love you."

What kind of idiot would proclaim love by insulting. I paused a moment as I reconsidered the thought. I laughed inwardly. Right, an idiot like me would.

Maka giggled lightly. I rolled my eyes as I turned to see what was so funny only to catch Wes in the act of trying stick a piece of popcorn in my ear. I batted his hand away immediately and growled in frustration.

"What's the point of watching this if neither of you are paying attention?"

Maka leaned forward slightly so she could see around Wes. "Aw come on soul, we've both watched this movie a thousand times!"

I scowled. "Tch. Doesn't mean your boyfriend has" I jerked my thumb in Wes' direction.

Maka turned red as she chucked a throw pillow at me. "soul! You and I both know that Wes is a GUEST and most certainly not my boyfriend!"

"Could have fooled me." I grumbled inaudibly.

Maka turned to Wes apologetically. "I'm sorry Wes, I never considered that you may not have seen this movie before."

Wes waved his hand dismissively. "Nah its fine, pride and prejudice makes a much better book than a movie."

I rolled my eyes as I let out an exasperated sigh. 'oh boy, here we go.'

Maka's eyes lit up immediately at the mention of books. "I didn't know you had an interest in literature!" Maka beamed. Wes returned the smile. "Oh, I've read a few classics here and there. It would be a shame to not be familiar with at least a few of them."

"that's what I keep telling soul." Maka said throwing a 'told you so' look in my direction. Ugh, this is getting old.

Maka jumped up from her seat." well I can't pass up a good opportunity for a book discussion. It's hard to find anyone that's interested in classic literature around here." she bounced happily down the hall to her room "stay right there, I'm gonna grab a copy so we can get some direct quotes."

Well this was turning into a hopeless situation. I sighed as I stood from my place on the couch. "Book discussion, right, I'll be in my room."  
I took two steps in the direction of my room before I was halted my Wes' words.

" Maka is such a cute girl. If you don't stake a claim on her soon, I just might-"

I cut Wes off mid sentence as I turned and glared at him.

"Maka isn't something to be claimed. She's not property that you can buy."

" That might be so but what you can't buy, you can win over with a bit of charm. No?" Wes smiled politely. Egh, when did he turn into such a sleazebag?

I felt my fist clench as I resisted the urge to deck him on the spot and throw him to the curb.

"You've been here a day and all you can think about is what you can gain. Leave now or you'll find out what you can lose."

Wes laughed lightly. "Are you threatening me? Just like old times when I would turn down your requests to play. You never did follow through with any of them."

I glared back into Wes' amused eyes. "We're not kids anymore Wes and I'm sure as hell not asking you to play. This is about maka and I won't let you-"

Maka jogged back into the room excitedly. "Back!"

I turned to Maka quickly. I had to warn her before Wes could say anything.

"I can't let Wes stay here anymore, he's crossing the line!" I blurted out. Damn Wes really is making me lose my cool, since when do I blurt things out like that?

Maka looked at me as though I had sprouted a second head and I felt heaviness in the pit of my stomach. This won't end well.

Maka breathed out patiently "soul... He's sitting in a chair. What could he possibly do to be 'crossing the line'" she emphasized with air quotes.

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "Yes I know he's sitting there, but it's not that he's doing anything physically, he's-"

Maka cut me off mid sentence. "look, I know you're having a hard time warming up to him and talking with him, but at least give him a chance! He's hardly been here a day and you've been ready to send him packing the moment he set foot in the door!"

Wes stood up "Sorry maka, I must really be testing Soul's patients for him to be lashing out like this. If you don't mind, might I suggest we retire for the night and try and start fresh in the morning?"

I whipped around to face Wes. Like hell I'm gonna let him change the subject and get away with what he said only moments ago.

"shut up, I'm not letting this drop that easliy." I turned to face Maka. "Please Maka, hear me out on this."

Maka sighed and gave me an apologetic look. "No, maybe it's best if we did what Wes suggested soul. You're upset and possibly blowing things out of proportion. Sleep on it and then we can all talk about it in the morning, ok?"

I watched helplessly as Maka retreated back to her room, throwing another apologetic look over her shoulder as she waved goodnight. I waved back as the soft click of the door signaled her exit. Wes' voice invaded my ears again delivering a message that made his motives clear.

"Game on soul."

The bastard. I walked silently to my door contemplating his words before I turned to face him one last time that evening.

"This isn't a game Wes and never has been… It's war."

I yanked my door open and entered into it's darkened depths. I took a deep breath of the still air as I pulled the door shut behind me and slumped back against it. The sound of the storm outside raged on as I slid down to the floor and ran a hand through my hair.

What a mess this is all turning out to be.

I just declared war to my older brother whom I've never been able to beat at anything. Not to mention it concerns Maka's love interest which Wes seems to already have a firm grasp on. How can I keep her away from a guy like that when I'm not even capable of complementing her?

I looked out the window as lighting lit up my room. Tomorrow hasn't even begun and I already feel like I'm fighting a losing battle.

* * *

A/N:

Gah, my apologies everyone for neglecting this fic for so long! I've been super busy between school, work, and juggling my many hobbies! Lucky for all of you dedicated readers out there, I'm now on summer vacation for about 3 weeks before summer term and more working starts up again. yaaaay... x_x I'll do my best to update as much as I can in that time period. I'm also preparing for Metrocon during this time so I can't promise a ton of updates but I do have a goal to finish this fic before fall term starts in august. :) Thanks everyone for giving so much feedback and support in your reviews! I got a few during my finals week and I was so tempted to write up a chapter for you guys on the spot! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and it was worth the horrendously long wait! -_-;;

Disclaimer: I don't own soul eater or pride and prejudice~


	5. Breakfast of Champions

Tantalizing Love

Chapter 5:

~Breakfast of champions~

* * *

I slumped forward at my desk and rested my head against it's cool surface. As hard as I try, I just can't think of a plan to keep Wes at bay. I closed my eyes wishing sleep would sweep me away, but as much as I willed it, it simply wouldn't come.

The storm outside had diminished to a slight drizzle, thunder sounding in the distance.

I groaned at the thought of facing Wes and Maka In the morning. Maka will question my behavior from tonight for sure but as much as I want to tell her about Wes, I highly doubt she'll believe it unless she witnesses it for herself. Unfortunately, the chances of that happening are pretty much nonexistent.

"Come on soul, you've gotta come up with something to at least compete with Wes."

My alarm clock ticked softly as I tapped a finger against the desk's surface.

"I could..."

"..."

"..."

I leaned back in my chair suddenly growling in frustration.

"damn it, I've got nothing."

I stood from my rolling chair as I crossed the room and fell backwards into my bed

This whole war thing is completely hopeless. The only way I could ever stand a chance is to act like Wes and be a douchebag... My breath caught in my throat as I propped myself up on my elbows.

Thats it.

I smirked at the brilliant idea. It's gonna be a pain in the ass but if I just start doing nice things for Maka then I should catch her attention right?

"hah, you wanted a war Wes? I'll fight fire with fire."

I turned to my alarm clock and set it for 6 in the morning.

I'll be tired as hell, but if I'm gonna do this, then I'm going all the way with it.

I switched off the small lamp on my bedside before rolling over and settling comfortably on my side. Sleep came much easier with the thought of maka fawning over me instead of Wes in mind.

BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!~

I nearly fell out of my bed as my alarm clock sounded off. I slammed my hand down on top of it, silencing it immediately as I let out a sigh of relief. Silence flooded the room again.

"so that's what that alarm clock sounds like... So annoying." I stared groggily at the face of the clock reading 6AM. I shrugged as I made a mental note to never use it again. Then again, I probably won't have a need for it, considering maka has always been my alarm clock.

I grabbed some fresh clothes and a towel before heading for the shower. I quickly went through the usual morning rituals of bathing, brushing teeth and getting dressed. I must have broken a personal record for morning preparedness, but I had some serious work ahead of me today.

With my damp towel draped around my shoulders, I stepped into the kitchen, taking note of the time: 6:30.

Not bad.

I peaked around the corner into the living room, Wes was still sound asleep on the couch.

I returned to the kitchen and began pulling various breakfast items from the fridge and pantry. Eggs, bacon, pancake mix... oh I can't wait to see wes' face. I smirked as I tied an apron on and got to work.

Before long, I had eggs and bacon sizzling on the skillet, toast popping up out of the toaster and the smell of breakfast wafting through the air.

I flipped a pancake into the air, catching it with expert precision and mentally pat myself on the back. Hey, a guy can take pride in a bit of cooking talent right?

"Soul?..."  
The confusion was evident in maka's voice.

"what are you doing?"

I turned my head slightly in her direction as I removed the pancake from the skillet.

"cooking, obviously."

I cringed slightly. Crap, be nice soul!

Maka put her hands on her hips as she made her way beside me.

"Yeah, I've noticed that much. I mean what are you doing up so early? And cooking? It's kind of strange."

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She was eyeing the food on the stove as she leaned on the counter slightly.

"well, I thought about what you said last night and figured you were right. I was blowing things out of wack, so now I'm making breakfast to make up for being so... Uncool."

I frowned at calling myself uncool. That's incredibly untrue. It seemed to catch Maka's attention though.

Maka leaned in close to my face as if inspecting something odd. Snapping out of my thoughts I backed up a bit instinctly.

Maka tilted her head, giving me a gentle smile that made my knees weak. "Apology accepted!"

What she did next surprised me a bit. Maka tied on one of the extra aprons before picking up a nearby whisk and pointing it at me menacingly.

"it's nice that your cooking for Wes and myself but there's no way your cooking skills can compare to mine! I've read well over a dozen cook books! Show me what you've got!"

I stared in disbelief a moment longer before giving her my signature grin.

"you're on."

Maka seized the pancake mix and stepped up to the heated skillet, pouring a decent sized pancake into the pan.

I leaned back against the counter, amused by the look of pure concentration and determination that adorned her face.

After sometime, Maka picked up the spatula and tried to carefully flip the pancake. She succeeded in landing the pancake back into the pan and in turn, grinned proudly.

"haha, bet you can't flip a pancake with precision like that soul."

I deadpanned. "Are you kidding? You just saw me toss one in the air and catch it."

Maka laughed. "of course I did, I'm just playing."

She smiled as she rocked back onto her heels.

"what's all the commotion in here?" Wes said as he wondered into the kitchen, rubbing sleep out of his eye.

Darmn, and things were going so well.

Maka turned to Wes. "Oh good morning Wes! Soul and I were just making breakfast so feel free to relax."

Wes took a seat at a barstool by the counter and looked on in wonder.

"I didn't know you could cook soul. Is it edible?"

My eyebrow quirked but the look on his face was that of honest curiosity.

"yeah, it's edible. "

Maka turned to Wes. "Soul is actually quite good at cooking Wes, no worries!"

I smiled inwardly at Maka's praise. Take that Wes.

I walked to one of the cupboards and proceeded to pull out 3 plates as I began situating food onto each one. I grabbed 2 plates while Maka came over and grabbed the 3rd, setting it down in front of Wes. I made my way around the counter, seating myself next Wes and setting maka's plate on the opposite side of me as she took her own seat.

I could feel Wes staring at me as I stuck a fork into a piece of bacon and proceeded to eat. I smirked at him and turned to converse with maka some more.

"so when is class supposed to be resuming? I lost track with Wes barging in and all."

Maka looked up with a thoughtful look on her face. "well, we should have class tomorrow if memory serves me right. That would be a good opportunity to give Wes a tour and introduce him to the others.

I grinned, that could be interesting.

Maka smiled back as she began eating once again. I glanced in wes' direction, since he had been unusually silent this morning. He was eating but staring at his plate quite seriously. No doubt, he's trying to figure out what I'm up to.

I turned back to my plate of food, gaining confidence in my struggle against Wes. From here, the day can only get better. Who knows, maybe if he's ignored enough, it'll drive him away from here for good.  
Breakfast was delicious and the taste of my first victory even more so.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own soul eater


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